Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1887-02-27
A LEssen n PArnIoTIsn.
[yOah Brooks in St. Nicholas. ]

raboys' military company. Perhaps
some Of my young readers thought
lket story was wholly a fiction. and
a. no such BOYS ever lived and acted
amy boys did in the story. 1t would
IA lust a. well. perhaps, 70 let you all
ssmsin In the belief ESQ far as you have
a that the story of the Fairport Nine
"a wholly . work Of the writer's inn
aelnstion. But something has lately
come into my keeping, by way Of re-
hinder Of those far-of days OF which
wrote. that moves me 70 think that
might interest in the truthful tale the
hds and lasses whom ever see before
ne, IN my minds eye.
IN the chapter OF the FairpoFt Mint
rslating TO the military company OF
he boys, Il Il told that those young
heroes had q standard presented 20
lhem. Now this actually happened.
Our boys company was called the
Hancock Cadets. the county IN which
ar town was situated being Hancock.
The name Of the town Is Castine. not
Fairport. as In the story. There were
Twelve Of ns, and such was the success
q our little band as trainers that a rival
company was organized By another
eiqne Of boys, who called themselves
ihe Castine Guards.
We we're armed with lances, a slen-
der rod tipped with tin lance-head.
and painted Of a mahogany color. be-
lnr the nearest we could get 20 a real
weapon. And we thought them very
ane indeed. But we must have a ban
ner. The big sisters Of several Of the
boys In the Hancock Cadets made for
s,fk n nh -
center OF which was an oval group Of
red stars, and in the center OF this was
smaller cluster Of blue stars--thirteen
N told. The flag was bordeTed about
With red worsted fringe. from the cabin
dfapery Of the good ship Canova, then
recently dismantled in the port; and
Rom the gllded tip that decorated the
had Of the staff hung cords and
nssels from the same storm-tossed
craft.
Twas ON the Fourth of July. 1910,
hat the flag was formally presented to
our company by the big sister Of one
n the private soldiers. As / was
tiandard-bearer, Il became my duty 20
receive the banner and to make a
peech. Being of the mature age of
ZEN, felt myself equal TO the duty OF
1hiilH anu CHfIttttA ktAE ntNANNihl AAAE
apOn which we had been permitted
% gaze in secret and with glittering
yves. But the speech was beyond any
Of us.
In this dilemma my blk sister and
the young lady aforementioned laid
their heads together and produced two
speeches, one for the presentation OF
the flag aud one for the standard.
bearer. This was In the midst Of the
political campaign which General vii
liam Henry Harrison was making for
he Presidency of the United States
We all were enthusiastic Harrison men
IN our company, and remember that
NY copy OF my speech was written on
what was known as "log-cabin pa
per- bearing in one corner an EN-
bossed picture Of General Harrison s
log-cabin home.
Our noble young captain drew US up
N line before the great front door OF
he house In which lived the young
lady who was 10 present the flag 20 Us.
Accompanied by bevy Of her bloom.
ing companions, the young lady came
out on the topmost step, with great
dignity, and delivered the following
address:
Young Soldiers, II Is with pleasure
hat | meet you on this glorious day.
% dear 10 every patriot, and present
@ you standard whose Stars and
stripes will show You that il is the true
American flag. II, whenever Won
march beneath it, You remember those
brave men who, under such a stan
dArd, fought so long and nohly for our
independence, and determine that
when 4 Nfssa Of -
YOU will defend your country with
aisnnesS and courage like theirs, | can
~ no more Of you as New England
soldiers.
- do not wish you to love war.
Irae glory can be gained only when
senght for Freedom. But I wish YOU
etoFe your country. Read the his
ery OF washington, the Father OF his
Country. and OF the other heroes who
ought the battles Of the Revolution.
And read. too, OF those who, like the
alessuous Harrison, have in later
auleS defended our land against its
snemies' Read the lives Of such men,
repeat and endeavor 90 be animated
" their spirit And | would have you
ln more OF your countrywide a
seaa and beautiful land il Is. and how
ostay TO be patriots home. The
10y yon learn OF Il, the dssrer Il viii
- you; and You should become
10y earnest 10 do all in your power
make u free and happy l wish
70 believe that bad citizens are
worst enemies Of their country,
you viii then be likely to grow
sood citizens, and win try 70 make
And now, after urging you once
sN 70 De always ready to protect
sIy part Of our beloved country
sa % the remotest log cabin that Is
s upon Us borders. viii place in
ssIs aAnds the Star~Spangied banner.
tySzeyer float this standard sheet
"nsre hreathes the foe but falls
before Us:
feet.
AID Freedoms banner streaming
DER usi''
a9e Gushing Young standard bearer
Psed into his hand the Banner oi
e1e,n. and the captain ordered
~ - Sacers, which were given with .
uNiu be noticed that the speech
,.sesensation aliuaes 10 the stars and
49, o. TIE flag IL was intended, al
~, ~. .i saas y shoald be a regulation flag
sr...a StlisiSnceS prevented, and the
rssa, being written, was allowed q
49, - u was. Last simmer. while
-, 'lsit 70 my native town, the on.
So speeches delivered on that ccca.
s-. seps IN the family ever since
49, .ato my Possession. Ii Is nov
- taan Is years since these pale
~"s were written They lie before
s soeets Of rough paper, yellowed
ss, and Yet readable on the worr
- were they we're written 80 LONG
49,. 80 now Tie old lallow. living owe,
We the readers Of 81. NichoIa,
AsrsSetelnl Gays when, q tsn-year-old
~, ne received the flag Of his com,
~. oepses from the AGED record Ia,
49, o. the reception speech Which